Punch Broadbent scored way into record book

Senators forward had goal in 16th straight game 95 years ago

If Punch Broadbent were playing today, he'd probably be known as one of the top power forwards in the NHL.

Broadbent was tough and talented, a player who could dance past an opposing checker or power his way to the net. He was more than willing to use his elbows to create the space he needed to score or make a point to an opponent. His real name was Harry, but he was nicknamed "Punch" for good reason.

Broadbent scored a goal in the season opener against the Hamilton Tigers, then was held scoreless by the Toronto St. Patrick's (later the Maple Leafs) in the Senators' second game of the season. But with a goal in a 10-0 victory against the Montreal Canadiens on Dec. 24, he began the greatest goal-scoring run by any player in NHL history.

He had goals in the next two games, victories against the Canadiens and Tigers, then had a goal and an assist in a 3-2 loss to the St. Patrick's.

Then Broadbent really got hot.

He scored two goals against Montreal, two more against Toronto, a hat trick in the rematch and another three-goal night in an overtime loss at Hamilton.

He extended his streak to nine games by scoring two more goals in a home win against Hamilton, then scored twice in a 2-1 win against Toronto. The goals kept coming through mid-February, when he extended his streak to 16 games by scoring twice in a 6-6 tie against the Canadiens on Feb. 15.

Three nights later, the Senators won 4-2 at Hamilton, but the Tigers became the first team in nearly two months to keep him off the scoresheet. To make up for his "off" night, Broadbent scored twice in his next game, a 4-3 home win against the Canadiens.

Broadbent finished the season with League-leading totals of 32 goals and 46 points in 24 games. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1962, 33 years after his retirement, and his 16-game goal-scoring streak remains an NHL record 95 years later.